It's normal - any change you make to how your staff work day-to-day can be met with some resistance. This can make it feel easier to stick with the status quo and keep muddling along with your inefficient systems. They might be inefficient, but at least your employees know how to use them, right? But in truth, it isn't easier. Not for you or your workers.
To make a change in your business work, you need your people to understand what’s in it for them, not just what’s in it for their managers. Here are some of the top ways workforce management software makes life less stressful and more rewarding for employees.
How you present workforce management software to your employees is important. Some might feel threatened by the idea of being tracked and monitored so closely. Explaining how GPS can benefit them directly and being open about what’s being tracked is crucial if you want a smooth transition. In fact, many workers report an improvement in job satisfaction after workforce management software rollout. Here are some of the ways your employees will benefit:
Workforce management software provides proof of your employees' work. If employees are getting more work done, the software will track their efforts. This is especially appealing for workers who are paid by call-out by job. Improved scheduling equals bigger pay packets and any customer disputes regarding arrival times and hours spent on the job can easily be resolved as your staff's work is backed up by electronic time stamps.
Importantly, workforce management systems boost productivity and reduce revenue leakage. For example, workforce management software means more simplified dispatch work. Dispatch teams can redirect workers quickly without calling everyone. This helps squeeze in extra jobs and saves dispatchers time and trouble.
Workforce management software automates ‘paperwork’ like job sheets, invoices and reporting. This makes life easier and the work more enjoyable as chasing the paper trail becomes obsolete. Workers in the field don’t need to worry about handing over physical documents, back office staff spend less time looking for lost data and financial trends can be identified in real-time for faster, smarter management decisions.
The software allows field workers to complete and send forms from their mobile devices. No more calls to the back office for price lists, job details or customer contacts. Meanwhile, you can set up mandatory fields in customisable templates so your back office never receives a frustratingly incomplete form again.
Employees want to feel good about their input. As a manager, it’s your job to give them the tools and support they desire to succeed. When someone misses a deadline, gets the wrong information or misunderstands a request, it’s not just your customers and bottom line that suffer. Your staff feel it too. Nobody enjoys being pulled up for making mistakes.
Giving your employees clear direction, easy access to knowledge databases and easier communication channels means they’re more likely to hit their KPIs, progress their careers and benefit financially. What’s more, you’ll have clear evidence of what additional training they might need, where your processes need improvement and who’s earned a bonus or promotion.
When someone needs information fast, what does it take for them to set eyes on it? Where do they need to look? If your staff need to create an invoice, job schedule, proposal or risk assessment, they don't want to go hunting through a maze of physical and digital assets to get the job done.
Where are all your vital records...
Having everything on one platform reduces the steps your employees need to take to complete a task. You’ll also reduce the likelihood of human error messing up your hard-earned customer loyalty.
If you're looking to improve productivity, morale and retention, start by giving your staff the right tools, support and back-up.